Motor control system



Aug. 16, 1932. H. D. JAMES ET AL. 1,871,698-

" MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R3 7 Fig 1.

3O lNVENTORS Henry D. James &

Ham/d I41 MYZid/HS 7/ f ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1932. H. D. JAMES ET AL 1,871,598

MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM Fi led Deb. 17. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR3 Henry D James 8 v Har'o/d W. MY/fam aA/l/ ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNEYED ST'EES PATEL FFECE HENRY D. JAIiEES, OF EDGEWOOD, AND HAIROLD'W. \VILLIAIVIS, OF WILKINSBURG, PEN N SYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND IJIANUFACTURING. COM,- PANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM Application filed December 17, 1929; Serial-No. Q4384.

Our invention relates to motor-control systems and particularly to control systems for elevators, hoists and similar machinery in which great accuracy is required in control.- ling the speed of the motor in the low-speed range.

More particularly, our invention relates to a variable-voltage control system, one feature of novelty being that the speed of the motor is controlled by varying the voltage supplied to it by a plurality of generators connected in series relation, and that a low speed is obtained by removing t 1e excitation of all but one of the generators.

In heavy-duty high-speed elevator systems employing the variable-voltage drive, difficultv is experienced in operating the cars at landing speed because of limitations in the design of generators and motors. That isto say, at low motor speeds, the generator voltage is so low that the resistance drops in the armatures oi? the generators and motors and in the conductors connecting them maybe a consicerable part of the generator voltage; and also the generator field flux may be so low that the residual flux may be a considerable part of the total field flux.

An object of our invention is to minimize the effects of regulation and residualmagnetism by providing a plurality of generators so operated-that all are effective in series relation to each other to supply high voltage-to the motor for operation at highspeed, whereas only one of the generators is effective at reduced voltage to supply low voltage for operation at lan ding speeds.

In this way, the low. voltage-obtained forlanding speeds is a higher percentage of the full voltage of a generator than would be the case ii only a single generator were employed to supply the entire energy for both lowspeed and high-speed operations. In the practice of our invention, we are able to obtain a lower landing speed than would be practicable if a single large generator were used and also to obtain better speed regulation at the landing speed. At the same time, we avoid the difiiculties which would be met in a single large generator because of excessive time lag in building up the generatorfield.

A further object of our invention is to provide a variable-voltage system having a plurality of generators inwhich acceleration of the motor is effected by:

l. Exciting the generators and increasing their excitation in one or more steps,

2. Reducing the excitation of themotor inone or more steps.

And in which retardation of the motor is. effected by:

1. Increasing the excitation of the motor in;one or more steps.

2. Removing the excitation of: part of'the 'enerat-ors.

Reducing the excitation of the remaininggenerator in one orniore steps;

4. Removing the excitation ottheremaining generator and applying the brake;

Other and more specific objects of our invention will appear-from the following description and appended claims.

The invention may best be'understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which, i

Figure lis a-schematic diagram of our invention applied to an elevator system and,

Fi 2 is a schematic diagram of a modification of the system shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, an elevator car G is shown suspended,,in-the usual.

manner, from a cable Ca which passes overa hoisting drum D to a suitable counterweight Cw. Directly coupled to the hoisting drum 1) are/two armaturesiEM-i andEM of two elevator motors EM and EM respec tively, suchmotors being respectively provided with separately excited field windings EMF and EMF The motor armatures EM and Fill i are connected alternatelyin aFloOp circuit, with the armatures G and G of two generators G and G the connections being such that the'voltage between any two points. in the loop circuit does not exceed the voltage of a single machine. lhis system of connectionsbeingwell known, we make no claim for the novelty thereof;

The generators G and G have separately excited field windings Gi and G7 respectively. Field-discharge resistors Gr and G7 are permanently connected across the field windings Gf and Gf respectively, in the usual manner. The generator G is also provided with an extra field winding Gk which is connected across the generator armature when both direction switches U and D are open, the direction of the flux set up in field winding G being such that it opposes the main generator flux to cause rapid reduction of the generator voltage to Zero, in a well known manner. The generator G is provided with a similar extra field winding G10 controlled by direction switches U and D The generators G and G are driven by any suitable means, here illustrated as a motor M, controlled by a switch S. Mounted on the same shaft as the generator armatures G and G v is the armature of an exciter E for supplying the direct current used in the control system.

The direction of operation of the elevator motors EM and EM is controlled by means of up-direction switches U and U and down-directicn switches D and D which switches control the direction of current flow through the generator field windings.

The speed of operation of the elevator motors is controlled by speed relays 1 and 2 operating upon generator field resistors R and R and by speed relay 3 operating upon motorfield resistor R Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, an elevator car C is shown suspended, in the usual manner, from a cable Ca which passes over a hoisting drum D to a suitable counterweight Cw. Directly coupled to the hoisting drum D is an elevator motor armature EM provided with a separately excited field winding EMF The motor armature EM isconnected in a loop circuit with the armatures G and G of two generators G and G The generators G and G are driven by any suitable means, such as motor M, controlled by switch S, as in Fig. 1. hlounted on the same shaft as the generator armatures is the armature of an exciter E for supplying the direct-current used in the control system.

The generators G and G are of the separately excited type, as in Fig. 1, each generator being provided with a separately excited field winding Gf and Gf Field-discharge resistors Gr and GT2 are provided, as in Fig. 1.

The direction of operation of the elevator motor EM is controlled by means of up-direction switches U and U and down-direction switches D and D which control the direction of current flow through the generator field windings, as in Fig. 1.

Speed relays 1 and 2, operating upon generator-field resistors R and R and speed relay 3, operating upon motor-field resistor R are provided, as in Fi 1.

The control systems shown in both Figs. 1 and 2 are of the automatic-landing type wherein the accurate stopping of the elevator car C level with any of the floors served by the car is effected by the operation of suitable inductor relays carried by the car which cooperate with lIlQUCtOI plates mounted in the hatchway adjacent to each of the floors. A control system of this type is illustrated in the copending application of E. M. Bouton, Serial No. 731,291 filed Aug. 1 1, 1924 and assigned to the lVestinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company.

The inductor relays illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings comprise a landing relay 4, low-speed relays 5 and 6, intermediate-speed relays 7 and 8 and high-speed relays 9 and 10; relays 9, 7, 5, and t being operated in sequence by the inductor plates in the hatchway to efiect a landing when the car is travelling upward, and relays 10, 8, 6 and 4 being operated in sequence to effect a landing when the car is travelling down ward.

In either of the modifications shown, the operation of the car is initiated by the car switch Cs and continued until the car switch is centered, whereupon the inductor relays effect an automatic landing at the next adjacent floor.

A set of inductor plates is illustrated at 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10, in each figure. Vhilo we have shown only one set in each figure, it will be understood that a similar set is mounted in the hatchway at each fioor intermediate the top and bottom floors. At the top floor, a set, corresponding to inductor plates 4, t 7 and 9, is provided and, at the bottom floor, a similar set, corresponding to inductor plates 4', 6, 8 and 10, is provided.

\Vhile, for simplicity, we have shown only a single step of resistance and a single speed relay for each of the field circuits in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be understood that, in practice, any of the usual accelerating means having any number of steps may be employed in any of the field circuits. It will also be understood that, while we have shown our invention applied to a system consisting of two generators and two motors in F 1. and to a system consisting of two generators and a single motor in Fig. 2, our invention is not limited to such systems but may be applied to a system having any number 0 motors and any number of generators greater than one. I

The operation of thesystem shown in 1 may best be described with reference to an assumed elevator operation. Assuming that the car is standing at the bottom floor and it is desired. to start M19 ear upward, the attendant on the car C moves the car-switch handle C8 to the left to supply current to the Lip-direction switches U and U through the engagement of contact members 20, 21

til

nuances;

andl22 ofthe. car 'switchiCs; This completes a circuit from supply conductor: L through conductors'30 andi31:;'through contact menu-- hers 20,121 and 22iofthe car'switch Cs and? thence to division pointw82." slrom this point,,

the circuit proceeds along two-paths to sup ply conductor L as followszzThe-first llfllllls extends from point 32, through't'he operating: coil of Lip-direction switch U throughcontact members of inductor relay 7; contact members of inductor relay 8- and return conductor 33, to supply line L The second-path extends from point 32, through theoperating coil ofup directionswitchU ;-release coil of the electromagnetic brake B and thence through contact members of inductor relay at, to return-conductor 33 and-supply line L Upon completion of this circuit, the up direction switches U and U close,- completing; the circuits of generator field windings and Gi The circuit of generator field winding extends from'supply line L through resistor R contact members a of u -'direotion switch U generator field windmgGfi and-thencethrough contact members b ofupdirection switchU tosupply line L The circuit 01"- generator field winding Gfg extends from line'L through resistor- R contact members a of up-directionswitch U generator fieldwinding'Grf and contact members 6 of tip-direction switch U and thence to sup ply line L Up-direction switch U rin closing, estabe lishesa holding circuit for itself-as follows:

. from supply line L through conductor 35 contact members 0 of tip-direction switch U through its operating coil and, from, this point, to supply line L as already traced; Closure of up-direct-ionswitch U -also breaks the circuit of extra field-winding G7: because of the separation of contact members (Z.

Up-direction switch U in closing-,. also establishes a holding circuit for itself as follows from supply line L through-conductor 35 contact members 0 of 1113-Cll1'60l3l0n switch U through its operating coil and, from this point, to supply. line L asalready traced.

The car now proceeds upward at moderate speechitsspeed being limited-by resistors R and R in the field-winding; circuits ofi en.- erators G and (T- it the-car switch is moved to the nextl position,the speed relaysl and-2 areoperatedto short circuit resistors R and B5, thereby further increasing the car speed. Thecircuit of speed relay 1 is completed as follows-z from supplyline L through conductors 30 and 31; contact members 21, 20 and 23:01: the car switch G8; the operating coil of? speed switch 1 ;-contact membersof inductor relays 7 andS andthence, through returnconductor; 33;, to supply line L The circuit of speed relay 2 is completed as follows from supply L through conductors 30 and 31,: contact members 21,, 20 and 23 of the can switch:

already tracedi Speed: relay 2. establishes a' similar holding circuit for itselfv through: its contact members 2a.

The elevator car'now moves upward at about fulL speed, which might be, for example, GOO-feet; per minute, assuming that. full speedis QOO-feet perminute. i v

If the car switch is now moved to its last upward position, the-speed relay 3 is operated'to insert resistor R in series with motorfield windings EMF and EMF- thereby weakening the motor fields and increasing thespeed ofthe'oar to itsmazrimum valueof 900' feet per minute;

Thecircuit of speed relay 3 is completed asfollows fromsupply line L through con- Y ductors 30' and 31;. contact members21, 20

anda'24t of the-car switch, the-operating coil of speed% relay 3; contact members of inductor relays 9and andithence, through returncondu'cton 33',to supply line L Speed relay 3, in closing, establishes a holding: circuit for itself as follows: from supply line L through conductor 36 contact members Elaythroughthe operating coil ofrelay 3, through contact. members of inductor relays-hand 10 and thence, through return conductor 83, to supply liIlG'Lg.

The'cart is now moving upward at maximum speed of SOOiteet per-minute; Assuming; that it is desired to stop at. the third floor the operator centers the car-switch Gs as the car-passes some-point slightly in ad Vance of? the set of inductor plates for'the third floor. 4

The centering of the car switclrhasno inimediate effecton the up directionswitches U and. U oron the speed relays 1, 2 and 3, as each otthese switches is held in'by its own holding? circuit. However, upon centering the-carwswitch, acircuit is established for the magnets of the inductor relays l, 5, "Z and 9; This circuit extends from supply line L through conductorsBO and 31; contact members 21-, and oft the car switch: Cs, through the magnet coils oii induc-tor relays 4,6; 7 and 9 ;.through contact members 6 of HP-CllI'GC ElOH switch U andthence tosupply line L It will be noted that the contact members 6 of tip-direction switch U are closed at-thistime, as the switch isheld'in by its holding circuit.

Thei'nductor, relays 4c, 5', 7: and 9' do not immediately open their contact members as their magnetic circuits are still incomplete. The car, therefore, continues to move upward at full speed until the inductor relay 9 arrives at a point in the hatchway opposite the inductor plate 9. l/Vhen this occurs, the magnetic circuit of inductor relay 9 is completed, the relay opens its contact members opening the circuit of speed relay 3, which, in turn, short circuits resistor R thereby strengthening the separately excited field magnets EMF and EMF of the motors EM and EM decreasing the speed of the car to a value approaching full speed or 600 feet per minute.

As the car continues upwardly at approximately full speed, the inductor relay 7 arrives at a point adjacent to inductor plate 7' and opens its contact members. When the contact members of inductor relay 7 open, the circuits of speed relay 1 and of up-direction switch U are broken. The opening of direction switch U disconnects the generator field Gf from its source and permits the field to discharge through its discharge resistor Gr. At the same time, the closure ofcontact 'members (Z of up-direction switch U connects the extra field winding G761 across the generator armature, thereby rapidly reducing the voltage of generator G to Zero. The voltage supplied to the motors being now halved, the speed of the car is reduced to a value approaching full speed or 800 feet per minute.

As the car continues upward at approxi mately full speed, the inductor relay 5 arrives at a point adjacent to inductor plate 5 and opens its contact members. This breaks the circuit of speed relay 2 which drops out, inserting the resistor R in series with the generator field winding Gf thereby further reducin the voltage supplied to the motors. The car now moves at a slow landing speed, which may be of the order of 30 feet per minute, until the inductor relay l arrives at a point opposite the inductor plate 4. When this occurs, the inductor rela 4 o ens its contact members breakin the circuit of Lip-direction switch U and the release coil of the electromagnetic brake B. The generator field winding Gf is, accordingly, disconnected from its source, the circuit of the extra field winding G79 is completed through cont-act members cl of updirection switch U the brake is applied and the car is brought to rest. The car is now at rest at the third floor, and the direction switches U U D and D and the speed relays 1, 2 and 3 are all open ready for control by the car switch C8 to initiate further operation of the car in either direction.

The operation-of the elevator for clownward travel is similar to that described for upward travel and will readily be understood from the above without further de scription.

The operation of the system shown in Fig. 2 differs from that of the system shown in Fig. 1 in that each of direction switches U U D and D and speed relays 1, 2 and 3 is controlled by a separate point on the car switch Cs; the closing sequence being U 2, U and 3 for upward travel and D 2, D 1 and 3 for downward travel. Each switch, in closing, establishes its own holding circuit, as in Fig. 1 and, upon the centering of the car switch, the circuits are broken by the inductor relays at the next adjacent landing, in the same manner and order as in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that we have provided a motor-generator drive of the variable-voltage type especially adapted for elevator service, in which the motive equipment is fed from a plurality of variable-voltage generators, acceleration of the motive equipment being effected by exciting the generators and subsequently increasing their excitation, either simultaneously or one after the other and subsequently weakening the excitation of the motive equipment; and deceleration being effected by strengthening the field of the motive equipment, subsequently rendering all the generators but one ineffective to supply voltage, subsequently weakening the field of the remaining generator and finally reducing the field to zero and applying the brake.

The embodiment of our invention herein described being merely illustrative, we do not desire to be limited to the details of the apparatus shown except as set forth in the appended claims.

WVe claim as our invention:

1. In a control system, a driven member, a motor for driving said member, a plurality of generators electrically connected to said motor, means for exciting all of said gener ators, and means for establishing low-speed operation of said motor comprising means operated whensaid driven member passes a predetermined point in its path of travel for removing the excitation of one of said generators.

2. In an elevator-control system, an elevator car, an elevator motor for moving said car, a plurality of generators electrically connected to said motor, means for exciting all of said generators, and means for establishing low-speed operation of said car comprising means operated when the car passes a predetermined point in its path of travel for removing the excitation of one of said generators.

3. In an elevator-control system, an elevator car, anelevator motor for moving said car, a plurality of generators electrically connected to said motor, means for exciting all of said generators, an extra field winding for 7 one of said generators, and means for establishing low-speed operation of said car com prising means operated when the car passes a predetermined point in its path of travel for removing the excitation of said one of said generators, said last mentioned means comprising means for connecting said extra field Winding across the armature of said one of said generators.

4. In an elevator-control system, an elevator car, an elevator motor for moving said car, a plurality of generators electrically connected to said motor, means for accelerating said car comprising means for exciting said generators, means for further accelerating said car comprising means for increasing the excitation of said generators, and means for establishing low-speed operation of said car comprising means operated When the car passes a predetermined point in its path of travel for removing the excitation of one of said generators.

5. In an elevator-control system, an ele vator car, an elevator motor for moving said car, means for exciting said motor, a plurality of generators electrically connected to said motor, means for accelerating said car comprising means for exciting said generators, means for further accelerating said car comprising means for decreasing the excitation of said motor, and means for establishing low-speed operation of said car comprising means operated When the car passes a predetermined point in its path of travel for removing the excitation of one of said generators.

6. In an elevator-control system, an elevator car operable in a hatchway past a landing, an elevator motor for driving said car, a plurality of generators electrically connected to said motor, means for exciting all of said generators to cause said motor to operate at high speed, and means responsive to the position of said car for automatically decelerating said car as said car approaches said landing, including means for removing the excitation of one of said generators.

7. In an elevator-control system, an elevator car operable in a hatchway past a land ing, an elevator motor for driving said car, a plurality of generators, conductors connecting the armatures of said motor and said generator in a series circuit, means for exciting all of said generators to cause said motor to operate at high speed, and means responsive to the positlon of said car for automatically decelerating said car as said car approaches said landing, including means for removing the excitation of one of said generators.

8. In an elevator-control system, an elevator car operable in a hatchWay past a landing, an elevator motor for driving said car, a plurality of generators connected to said motor, a brake for said motor, means for exciting all of said generators to cause said motor to operate at high speed, means responsive to the position of said car for automatically decelerating said car as said car approaches ber, 1929.

HENRY D. JAMES. HAROLD W. WILLIAMS. 

